1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin sorting apparatus, and more particularly, to a coin sorting apparatus whose operation is controlled by sensing means to count the received coins.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a coin sorting apparatus refers to a machine for separating and sorting a large amount of coins according to their respective size within a short time, and it is widely used in financial institutions such as banks or businesses to quickly and accurately sort coins.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional typical coin sorting apparatus.
As shown in the drawing, the typical conventional coin sorting apparatus includes a coin slot 10 through which a large amount of coins are deposited, a plurality of guides 30 for allowing the coins to be sorted according to their size, a plurality of coin receiving tubes 40 for receiving a predetermined number of the sorted coins, a fallen-coin drawer 35 for collecting coins that are not received in the coin receiving tubes 40, and a power switch 60 for supplying or shutting off power to the coin sorting apparatus.
The operation of the above-described coin sorting apparatus will be briefly described hereinafter. When a user turns on the power switch 60 and inputs coins into the coin slot 10, the input coins are sorted by a sorting unit located below the coin slot 10 and output through the guide 30.
The coins output through the guides 30 are stacked in the coin receiving tube 40. When the coin receiving tubes 40 are arranged in two rows as shown in FIG. 1, the coins are firstly received in a first row of the coin receiving tubes 40 that is proximal to the guides 30.
When the coin receiving tubes 40 proximal to the guides 30 are filled with coins, the coins are secondly received in a second row of the coin receiving tubes 40 that are distal to the guides 30.
When all of the coin receiving tubes 40 are filled with coins or the sorting operation is finished, the user turns off the power switch 60, and take the coin receiving tubes 40 out of the apparatus to use the coins.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating an inner structure of a conventional coin sorting apparatus.
As shown in the drawing, the coin sorting apparatus includes a coin slot 10 through which coins are deposited, a supply control container 11 for controlling the supply amount of the coins deposited through the coin slot 10 such that a small amount of coins are supplied into a separating unit, a supply hole 12 formed on a sidewall of the supply control container 11 for allowing a small amount of coins to be deposited, a cover 15 for preventing the coins from coming out of the supply control container 11 while the supply control container 11 is rotated, a carrier container 13 for carrying the coins deposited through the supply hole 12 such that the coins are separated and sorted by a carrier hole 14 and separation holes 16, and a rotation shaft 18 and a motor 17 for rotating the supply control container 11 and the carrier container 13.
In addition, the coin sorting apparatus further includes guides 30 for guiding the coins sorted by the separation holes 16, coin receiving tubes 40 for receiving the coins carried out through the guides 30, a tube receiving container 41 for receiving the coin receiving tubes 40, and a fallen-coin drawer 35 for receiving coins that fall down without being received in the coin receiving tubes 40.
The operation of the above-described conventional coin sorting apparatus will be described hereinafter. When a large amount of coins is input through the coin slot 10, the coins are piled up in the supply control container 11. Then, when the supply control container 11 rotates, the coins are fed to the carrier container 13 through the supply hole 12 formed on the sidewall of the supply control container 11, little by little.
The coins that are fed to the carrier container 13 are inserted into the carrier hole 14 formed on the carrier container 13 while the carrier container 13 rotates, and the coins are then moved into the separation holes 16 by the rotation of the carrier container 13.
The separation holes 16 are a plurality of different sizes, and they are provided in an order from smallest to largest in a direction where the carrier hole 14 rotates.
Therefore, the coins are discharged through the separation holes in an order from the smallest coins to the largest coins.
The rotation of the supply control container 11 and the carrier container 13 are realized by the rotation shaft 18 and the motor 17 placed under the carrier container 13.
The sorted coins passing through the separation holes 16 are carried along the guides 30, and received in the coin receiving tubes 40.
The coin receiving tubes 40 can be provided in a number corresponding to sizes of coins, or as shown in the drawings, two coin receiving tubes 40 can be provided for each size of coins.
When all of the coin receiving tubes 40 are filled with coins, subsequent coins fall down to be received in the fallen-coin drawer 35. When the sorting of coins is completed, the user can take the coin receiving tubes 40 out of the apparatus to use a desired denomination of coins.
However, the aforementioned conventional coin sorting apparatus has several problems.
First, when a large amount of coins are sorted, since the apparatus is designed not to automatically stop even when the coin receiving tubes are filled with coins, the user must collect the fallen coins and input the same again for sorting through the coin slot. This is troublesome work for the user.
Second, even when there are no coins in the carrier container, the apparatus keeps operating unless the user turns off the power switch.
Third, since it is impossible to take the coin receiving tubes out of the apparatus to wrap up the sorted coins while the coins are being sorted, the user must turn off the power switch wherever he/she intends to wrap up the sorted coins.
Fourth, when the coin sorting is completed and a coin receiving tube is not filled with the coins, since it is difficult for the user to identify the number of coins received in the coin receiving tube, the user must empty the coins from the coin receiving tube and count them by himself/herself.